A pair of cabinets is usually connected to each other by screwing them together to make sure they are square relative to each other. This is done by using a clamp, either a standard clamp or a specialized cabinet clamp, to hold them together, and then by drilling anywhere from 2 to 4 holes in the sides of the stile forming one of the cabinet faceplates through to a stile of the other cabinet faceplate. A countersink bit is then used to make a shallow countersink hole 15 (see FIG. 2) in the side of the stile. Then a wood screw is screwed into the holes made in the stile.
After connecting the front of the cabinets to each other, the rear of the cabinets need to be connected together, so the cabinets as a single unit can be positioned in place. The rear of the cabinets are formed by a pair of spaced apart walls, with each of the walls received at its respective front end in a grove in the faceplate stile, spaced apart from the faceplate edge. As a result, the walls are spaced apart from each other at their rear edges as well. In order for the cabinets to be square relative to each other, the spacing between the walls at the front of the cabinets needs to be maintained at the rear of the cabinets. In order to obtain the desired spacing, wood shims 17 (see FIG. 3) are placed between the walls in order to get the space between the walls the same as the spacing between the walls at the front of the cabinets. A screw is then screwed through the walls and the shims to secure the walls and the shims together. Then anywhere from 4 to 8 screws are used to complete the connection. Lastly, the connected cabinets are screwed to a wall to complete the cabinet set installation. If more than two cabinets are to be installed, as is usually the case, then this process is repeated until all the cabinets have been installed.
This process of countersinking, shimming and installing of wood screws is time consuming, and can result in damage to the cabinets. Cabinets have been ruined because of the holes that have to be drilled through the stiles. The stiles are typically made of real wood, and if a pilot hole isn't deep enough, the screw can break after beginning to screw the cabinets together. If the screw breaks, the head comes off, and there is not a solid connection of the cabinets. This requires that another hole be drilled to make sure the cabinets are connected securely.
It is therefore be desirable to reduce the time needed to connect a pair of cabinets to each other, and to reduce the amount of screws needed to make the connection, thereby reducing the possibility of damage to the cabinets.